Bil’in Boy Shot in Head with Rubber Coated Bullet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, Friday November 11, 2005, in the village of Bil’in, the Israeli army attacked a peaceful gathering of Palestinian, Israeli and International peace activists who were dancing and singing blocking construction of Israel’s separation wall which annexes large parts of the West Bank, including 60% of Bil’in’s agricultural land. During the attack on demonstrators, soldiers shot Mohammed Suleiman Burnat a 16-year old Palestinian in the head with a rubber coated steel bullet. The boy is currently in hospital

The Palestinians of Bil’in and other areas in the West Bank were joined by approximately 150 Israeli and foreign peace activists, at today’s demonstration.

For the last ten months, Bil’in has launched an ongoing non-violent campaign against the annexation barrier supported by hundreds of Israeli and International activists, and met by violence and collective punishment from the Israeli army. Israel designed the current route of the barrier to annex 60% of Bil’in’s agricultural land, and expand the settlement of Modi’in Elite. Plans for Modi’in Elite’s expansion have yet to be approved by the Israeli government.